Peace, It's Wonderful
by Kajhe
Summary: The Reaper War burns across the galaxy, and in here, there is no Crucible or magical plot device to save the day. Written in the form of short stories and excerpts.
1. Prologue

**Chronology of Specific Events Relating to Observation of Military Action in Batarian Space **

_Presented below is a summary of information which has been assembled in a chronological arrangement of excerpts received from intelligence community sources and public sources. The chronology is somewhat incomplete because it does not include: (a) all of the information believed to have been submitted to the Alliance's executive agencies during the period of military activity observed in Batarian Hegemony space, or (b) significant information in the files of the ASC Special Group on intelligence and covert actions relating to batarian affairs.  
_

 _1\. 9/03/86_ – _In a briefing provided to Messrs. Coyne and Walter, the Director, AIA, reported that intelligence identified the rapid and systematic destruction of the batarian comm buoy network, with an estimated total of 13 clusters cut off from mainline communications.  
_

 _2\. 9/08/86_ – _The Director, AIA, also reported that photographic evidence reflected that the Hegemony had recalled the bulk of its military forces back to the batarian home cluster (the Kite's Nest), leaving its colonies along the Skyllian Verge and the Outer Rim virtually undefended; there are indications that additional military forces from the rest of its colonies may be in the process of being readied for shipment to the Kite's Nest.  
_

 _3\. 9/09/86_ – _The batarian state-sanctioned press reported that the Hegemony "is the greatest military power in [galactic] history"; the official explanation for the erratic movement of the batarian fleets was given as a series of comprehensive but ultimately routine military exercises._

 _4\. 9/14/86_ – _ARO reported the following: "...the Skyllian Verge worlds are alive with rumors, and it is difficult to sift the facts out of the stories of the large batarian military buildup still going_ on. _Some of these stories tell of a coordinated attack against the batarian government by a yet-to-be-identified aggressor, while other accounts state the occurrences are best interpreted as a coup."  
_

 _The responsibility now falls on this committee_ _– in conjunction with the various intelligence and information-gathering agencies_ _ _–_ to determine the exact nature of the occurrences currently taking place the Batarian Hegemony, and to assess whether these forces at work could in turn pose a threat to the stability of the Systems Alliance._

-Excerpt from a confidential report distributed among members of the Alliance Parliament's Select Committee on Intelligence, 2186

* * *

 **Systems Alliance Action Memorandum No. 185 - Department of Colonial Affairs, Colonial Defense Administration** **  
**

 _From an analysis of the situation and the reports in our possession, we consider that aggression from a third party is almost imminent within the next two or three weeks._

 _There are two possible variant scenarios: the first and likeliest one is a coordinated orbital attack against various colonies in one strike, singling out certain targets of value with the limited objective of destroying them. The second, less probable, although possible, is invasion. This variant would call for a high number of forces, which the aggressors appear to possess, as demonstrated by their course of action in the batarian space...  
_

 _We are recommending the following be circulated among the various authorities responsible for the governance of the colonies and extra-solar holdings, in order to provide guidelines, establish parameters, and set recommendations, in the extra-ordinary case that the conditions arise which may demand for it.  
_

 _Such actions may include, but are not limited to: mobilization of the colonial militia (or local law-enforcement officials), the setting of rationing/commodity controls, the reviewing of current emergency and evacuation plans or the establishment of them in the case of their absence, and the enactment of (temporary) measures to prevent mass panic and/or civil disorder. In accordance with Response Scenario 1 guidelines, the Fleets (1st - 8th) are to be recalled back to the Arcturus Redoubt as soon as possible: as a result, and for the time being, the Alliance cannot currently guarantee the expected frequency of patrols, nor the security of those colonies beyond the designated confines of the redoubt.  
_

 _-_ Excerpt from a confidential memorandum distributed to various colonial governors, 2186

* * *

 **TOP SECRET**

 _In connection to the possible encroachment of Earth Systems Alliance territory by the same party currently engaging in military maneuvers against the Batarian Hegemony, we strongly recommend the immediate undertaking of urgent measures to increase combat readiness and to repel the enemy by the efforts of the Alliance Fleet. There should also be an organized effort to inform the governments of the Citadel Council of the urgency of action on their part._

 _-_ Recommendation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Office of the Prime Minister, 2186


	2. Chanson de Craonne

_Dobrovolski, 2195 CE_

* * *

"May I introduce myself?" asked the guest as he walked in, in an exceedingly formal voice. As he spoke, he cast occasional furtive glances at his surroundings, no doubt registering the dilapidated state of the old colonial assembly hall, which some time ago been re-purposed into a makeshift command center. "I," he went on, after pausing, without waiting for a reply or sign from the general sitting before him, "am the Undersecretary of Trade, Georges Lansing."

The words fell flat, and there was silence for a few seconds that was punctuated by the sound of footsteps of the various aides and petty bureaucrats walking here and there in the foreground. Finally, the general - his entire countenance expressing a deep exhaustion, his eyes staring off past the guest and into some point known only to himself - uttered a response, in a morose voice: "What is it?"

"I've been delegated by the Provisional Government's Wartime Committee to put three questions to you," Lansing went on, his words oozing with the self-importance of his assignment. "The first concerns ten eezo workers who were arrested here in Dobrovolski, specifically in Korzukhin Station and the Baev Habitat. What happened to them?"

"Lieutenant," the general ordered slowly, his eyes unmoving, "present the prisoners to the Undersecretary."

At the sound of this, an armed man standing at the side of the general stepped forward and saluted, his armor appearing weathered under the harsh lights overhead.

"If you'll follow me," he said, now directing himself to Lansing, who muttered "Very kind of you," in response. The two men proceeded to walk out of the busy room, at which point the general closed his eyes, and brought his hands to his temples, vainly attempting to rid himself of the pounding migraines which had increasingly been afflicting him. In spite of the throbbing pain, he relished his little moment of peace; he even derived some glee from using his mind's eye to imagine the face of that patronizing politician - that Lansing - upon being shown to the large windows overlooking the barren planitia, and there the lifeless corpses of the ten agitators, who had some days ago been spaced and left in the vacuum as a grim reminder to deter other _problematic_ individuals.

Sitting in the darkness, he gave a sigh as he shook off old memories that occasionally rose to the forefront of his mind. Presently, he heard the doors opening, and two sets of footsteps approaching him. He opened his eyes, and was struck by the harshness of the white lights and the drab grayness surrounding him; he recalled a memory of the sunlit greenery of his place of birth, Eden Prime, just as another tendril of pain tracing along his jaw and temple burst to life. It had been a long time since he had been outside the metallic confines of either a starship or an artificial habitat - he wondered, if perhaps that was why he had been in such a bad state, lately.

To his inward pleasure, the government man appeared greatly flustered; however, Lansing restrained himself, for the grisly display had served to show him that this crazed military man had been through enough that a mere political threat would be insufficient to shock him into line.

"Is that a satisfactory reply?" asked the general, coolly. Then, without allowing any time for a reply: "In any case, the second question?"

"It concerns my department. We-we hear that here, in this station, you are holding up vital cargo. The Committee expects your assurance in taking the required measures to have these goods shipped at once to the Terminus."

"What are the goods?"

"Luxury goods for export. For use as foreign exchange."

"Ah, luxury goods. Fresh foodstuffs and wines, surely. Am I wrong?" he prompted, but the politician remained silent. "What ship are these goods in?"

To this question, Lansing reached into his pockets, whereupon he took out a datapad, and placed it on the little cheap desk in front of him. The general stared intently at it, though it did not appear that he actually read any of its contents, since his eyes remained fixed to one spot in space.

"Have the ship sidetracked, and space the cargo," he ordered, as an audible gasp escaped from the mouth of the politican.

"Yes, sir!" replied the lieutenant with apparent gusto, and walked off to carry out his orders. Others who had been close enough to hear the order shuffled uneasily, in response to the growing antagonism and the awkwardness brewing between the two.

"And what is the third question?" asked the general to the distraught Lansing, who kept glancing at the door behind him, as if expecting for the lieutenant to come back, or that the general would rescind his order.

"The-the situation on the front."

"What could it possibly be?", came his reply, his voice infinitely tired. "A mess. Big guns firing; our fleets whittled away to nothing; constant retreats, no victories. You could die of sadness here. Sitting like baboons on our behinds, always waiting for what we know is coming, and putting up a token defence as if someone were watching and judging us by it," and here, his eyes - which had for the entire conversation been impassive and apathetic - suddenly came alive with scorn and anger; "Go to Cyrene and tell that fat bunch of cowards that they'd better pack. The Reapers will be here in four days, if even that. And from here, they'll be within one days' access to all our remnant outposts. You can add that there'll not be any luxury goods for their Terminus friends. Wines for export!" he spat, tearing his gaze away from the man in front of him to tend to the stack of papers and datapads in front of him.

"This is an outrage," fumed Lansing, and he made no effort to hide the condescension in his tone now, although he began to back away towards the door. "You can be sure that I shall inform the Committee and Commander-in-Chief about all of this."

"Please do."


	3. Chanson de Craonne, part II

_Cyrene, 2195 CE_

* * *

The general made his across the station's halls, his hands clasped behind his back. The place was abuzz with frenzied and disorganized activity, as bureaucrats and even military personnel abandoned their posts, taking with them whatever valuables they could.

It was small orbital gateway station, and it had been re-purposed too, to suit the needs of the times. In its day, it had been a small customs station in orbit over the colony of Cyrene, though it had now been transformed into the headquarters of the Alliance's tiny remnant fleet, and from which - for some months now - had radiated the Alliance's equally pathetic and weak sway over a progressively shrinking number of outposts and colonies in the Attican Traverse and Terminus Systems. And even that was now coming to an end.

Coming to Hangar C, the general spotted a familiar figure: the former colonial governor of Dobrovolski, sitting - slumped - on a crate positioned to the side of the hall, surrounded by a clamoring multitude of people - civilians, mostly - who kept pushing up against a line of soldiers and angrily requesting to see the Commander-in-Chief in his quarters, demanding answers and assurances from him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked him sternly, although he felt some measure of pity for the old man, who now - stripped of his position - looked lost and confused, virtually indistinguishable from any of the other panic-stricken refugees.

"Waiting for the Commander-in-Chief. I-I must see him. The planet-side evacuation-"

"You'll wait here until the Reapers come, then" the general said, cutting him off. "Onto the ships," he added in a kindly a tone as he could muster in his tiredness, and left him, continuing to walk until he came to the cordon of soldiers. No sooner had they recognized him, they saluted, and stepped aside to allow him in, whereupon came renewed shouts from the crowd behind him until the door closed once he had stepped in.

The ante-chamber was a mess, and the formerly opulent office space had been transformed to a waste: the glistening floor was covered with bits of smashed circuitry and shattered glass, the remains of a purposeful attempt to destroy all datapads and computer parts before vacating the station. In some other room to the side, some petty clerk was feeding a blazing bin with bits and pieces of paper: the cuffs of his white shirt were singed, and though there was no smoke, there was an acrid smell that permeated the room. On the desk at the center of the room were stacked even more papers, as well as bottles of various liquors, most of them empty or only half-filled.

And amidst the chaos, the Commander-in-Chief stood a little ways next to a work-station, flanked by two bodyguards and dressed in a blue officer's suit with the golden emblem of the Earth Systems Alliance embroidered on his breast. He noticed the small sidearms strapped to the sides of the bodyguards, and their lack of assault rifles; he concluded that they must be biotic adepts (and powerful ones, too), to forgo weapons so casually.

They stared at each other intently, neither breaking the silence. Finally, the Commander-in-Chief spoke. in mock concern: "How did it go? Did everyone get away?"

"The fleet had a very bad time on the way," the general answered, discarding all formality. "But," he nodded, though his expression remained cold and impassive,"generally speaking, everyone got away."

"I myself," he went on, "traveled very comfortably. Sitting quietly in the corner of a private compartment. Didn't bother anybody - and nobody bothered me. Twilight everywhere, like a in kitchen."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," the Commander-in-Chief replied, and his voice was tinged with hardly-contained impatience.

"See, when I was a boy, back in the colonies... One night I went to the kitchen. The stove. On the stove, cockroaches. But not the Earth-type - I say cockroaches, but I mean these bugs from Eden Prime. Harmless things, but just as unpleasant and unseemly as the ones from Earth. And I turned on the light, and all of them scattered... When I turned it off again, I heard their feet pattering, scratching, scraping. You see," he said, biting his lip, and shaking his head slightly, "we're like them, scurrying in the dark.

"I look, and I wonder where we're fleeing to? Like cockroaches, we'll fall from the kitchen table into a bucket."

"We are grateful to you for everything you, with your great strategic talent, did for the Alliance," bellowed the Commander, irritated and in no mood to hear the inane musings of the mad man in front of him. Now that all was ended - he realized he had no reason to put up with the idiot anymore. "I'm not going to detain you any further, General. Myself, I'll be evacuating at once. The Provisional Government has disbanded: it's over."

"Moving to some comfortable Terminus world? Who knows: it might be you'll get to live out the rest of your life in peace and comfort, before the Reapers ever reach there."

"If you keep forgetting your manners," growled the Commander, without a trace of humor or jest in his voice, as he crossed his arms,"I'll have you arrested,"

"I expected that. I'm surprised you haven't done it already, considering my reputation."

"...It's not your poor health, I can see. For a year now, your loathsome antics have been hiding the hatred you feel for me."

"I do hate you, it's true. I never denied it, in all fairness."

"Envy? Thirst for power?" came the question, and he shrugged his shoulders and squinted his eyes, feeling a sincere curiosity to know the answer of the eccentric standing before him.

"No. I hate you for having involved me in all of this,"answered the general. "Where are the fleets the Council was to send us? Where's the Systems Alliance? The turians? The asari? How could we start fighting Them when we're powerless? You," and at these words, he raised his hand and pointed at the Commander with his finger, "you are the cause of my illness. But now," he reflected, serenely, "time's up for the both of us. We shall both drop into oblivion."

"Then I won't keep you any longer, General."

"Turning out your most obedient servant?"

"You God-damned clown."

The Commander-in-Chief turned his face in disgust, and walked through a back-door, his biotic bodyguards following right behind; at their going, the menial clerk looked up from his work, waited for a few seconds until their footsteps had receded into silence, and then anxiously ran out through the front door.


	4. Dispatch - I

**CONTINGENCY PLANNING - OPERATIONS PLAN E-50: CONCERNING THE HUMAN EARTH SYSTEMS ALLIANCE  
**

 **CLASSIFIED INFORMATION  
**

 _In the event of a Reaper invasion of Earth Systems Alliance territory under present circumstances, it is almost certain that the defending forces would soon lose effective control of most colonization clusters, with the possible exception of the Arcturus Stream, and those systems solely accessible through it. So long as present political and military conditions continue unaltered, the Alliance's military strength alone cannot decisively improve this prospect._

 _The operations of the Alliance Navy reflect a lack of aggressiveness, and are in part handicapped by simple numerical disadvantage. A Reaper invasion could without difficulty penetrate the extended Alliance perimeter and rapidly overcome the defending forces. Although the Alliance Navy's Fleets would be capable of limited defensive action in the case of an invasion, there is a grave risk of them being overwhelmed. To reiterate what has been previously stated, only in the Arcturus Stream and in their home system [Earth], where the humans are organized in significant depth, could effective resistance against a Reaper assault be expected; however, even here, the inferior front-line strength of the Alliance and the lack of reserves would inevitably compel a withdrawal.  
_

 _At the moment, it is doubtful that the Alliance will be able to provide large-scale reinforcements to its colonies in sufficient time to oppose an invasion. Our intelligence suggests that the Alliance Navy is currently in the process of recalling the entirety of its fleets back to the Arcturus Stream. While the fall of the Alliance to the Reapers would likely hasten their arrival into our space and deprive us of a source of aid, the short time period in which we foresee an attack leaves no alternative; and we must be prudent, and attend to the security of the space under our governance first and foremost.  
_

 _...Our recommendations are to station the fleets and augment defense systems at those cluster-points through which Reaper forces could cross over from Alliance space: namely, Relay 285 (the 'Bythnian Gate'), Relay 314 (the 'Shanxi-Theta Cluster'), and Relay 303 (the 'Brissen Bight'). The aforementioned must also be applied to those locations that are crossing points between our territory and batarian space: in particular, the Mactare-Taetrus Cluster, whose defenses have been substantially reduced by the separatist conflict there...  
_

 _-_ Excerpt from a confidential assessment originating from the Turian Hierarchy's Protostrator to the Council of the Primarchs, 2186

* * *

 **Refugee Crisis in the Exodus Cluster  
**

 _September 19, 2186  
_

 _Since two days ago, Terra Nova has been subject to an unprecedented influx of batarian refugees. For now, the efforts of the Alliance's 79th Flotilla and our militia's forces have been successful at preventing them from landing, although they continue to remain in orbit over the colony, and have long since overrun our customs stations. By these methods, they had hoped to either be allowed ground access to the colony, or permitted passage further inwards into Alliance space. From a legal standpoint, there is now a stalemate; for the laws of the Alliance do not recognize this method, and the laws of this colony prohibit access to members of the batarian race. For now, they are respecting our colony's - and the Alliance's - sovereignty. Communications with the refugee parties have informed us of the dire situation in Hegemony space, and the reason for their rout to Alliance territory: they claim unknown aggressors attacked batarian space earlier this month, and that the Hegemony has fallen._

 _This is why they are staying put, in makeshift conditions; however, they are obstructing the normal functioning of the colony. Moreover, a number of individuals in the colonial legislature have brought up possible security concerns, as well. It is for these reasons, both humanitarian and practical, that we strongly urge the Alliance to achieve a mutually-acceptable solution. In our opinion, there are only two possible solutions to this situation: to allow the batarian refugees passage to the Citadel proper [allowing them to land in an Alliance colony would likely trigger civil disorder or conflict, whereas leading them into turian or salarian space would assuredly damage our relations with them at this time when we must cultivate them diligently] , or to deal with the situation at least temporarily in accordance with humanitarian principles.  
_

 _We find it necessary to emphasize that the abnormality of the situation is being caused above all by the conflict currently taking place in former Hegemony space. In light of this, we have also reviewed the guidelines entrusted to us by the Dept. of Colonial Affairs, and have commenced preparedness measures per the recommendations.  
_

-Correspondence from Governor Kjeldsen of Terra Nova to the Alliance's Department of Territorial Stability & Security, 2186

* * *

 **EMERGENCY - 9/30/86**

 _Transmitting urgent message:  
_

 _Our scanners and early warning instruments have detected the entry of large numbers of unknown entities into Earth Systems Alliance territory at various relay points. We have lost communication with these same systems in which unauthorized entries were detected; we advise the use of QEC to determine the status of these colonies. Entities are presumed hostile...  
_

-Message from the Alliance's Reconnaissance Office (ARO) to Arcturus Naval Command, 2186


	5. Dispatch - II

_As it becomes more apparent that the current Reaper conflict will be prolonged, the military capabilities of the Turian Hierarchy provide the principal key to the outcome of the fighting in Inner Council space, and whether the fighting will spread to the space under our jurisdiction. Before the unexpected invasion of Hierarchy territory, the Turians were widely believed by most in the intelligence community to be capable of launching, individually or simultaneously, successful military action against the Batarian Hegemony, the Earth Systems Alliance, and our own Union; success against the Asari Republics, though projected to be prohibitively costly, was also considered to be within their capabilities. Events since then, however, have affected Turian Hierarchy capabilities for action in all these key areas…_

 _…Despite the magnitude of Turian military effort centered on Palaven and their core colonies, there has been no substantial improvement in the security situation in recent months. The great influx of Turian reinforcements from their more outward colonization clusters [see specifics on Appendix D] led to hopes that the Reaper forces might be stalled by weight of numbers. Although some progress was made in limiting Reaper advancement into other systems, the hopes of a Turian victory were dispelled by staggering casualties on Palaven and the appearance of a political rift in the Council of the Primarchs._

 _For the present, we have yet to detect Reaper presence within the confines of our space. The immediate concern is heightening border security. Preliminary deep-space scans from our bases on Rannadril detected a surge of activity amassing at the mass relays connecting to our outlying colonies. For the technical details, refer to OXC-0057, attached. Observation suggests they are civilian (refugee) vessels… We have already received communications from our border colonies that they are rapidly being overwhelmed by the new arrivals, and for fear of civil disorder, a public health crisis, or even hostile infiltration, they seek assurances that we will rapidly dispatch to them the necessary assistance…_

-Excerpt from a classified memo presented by a Special Task Group to the Salarian Martial Directory

* * *

 _...According to our reports from C-Sec's Customs Division, the number of arrivals into the Citadel in the past month totaled over 54,000. Circumstances related to the conflict currently sweeping large swathes of the galaxy account almost exclusively for the dramatic increase. The sharp escalation in the refugee exodus should impart a growing sense of urgency to those authorities responsible for the maintenance of civil order and services…_

 _Although it is impossible to predict the number of additional refugees that can be expected over the coming months, there is no reason to believe the number will decline. The worsening of the situation on the Turian front, the Alliance's adoption of 'strategic retreat', and the Salarian Union's insular outlook will undoubtedly cause more people on the path of Reaper forces to attempt to escape to areas that are perceived as 'safe'._

 _The influx has placed a severe strain on the Citadel's infrastructure and services. The estimated number of people facing starvation on the Citadel proper is in the range of 55,000 to 60,000, almost exclusively refugees. The brunt of the disaster, however, will be borne by the estimated 120,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in free space over the Citadel, waiting to be processed/admitted. Estimates of food assistance needed throughout the coming month to prevent mass starvation range from 150,000 to 200,000 metric tons of emergency rations, with an additional 80,000 to 85,000 metric tons of dextro-amino foodstuffs for the Turian arrivals. Greater food assistance from the Salarian Union or Turian Hierarchy is unrealistic, at this point; the resources from the Asari cannot meet the full need, and must be matched by the other great powers._

 _Even amongst permanent residents, there has been a sharp rise in the prices of basic foodstuffs and items, as a result of the conflict's disruption of commerce and speculation, prompting the Citadel's Agency for Public Health Management to issue a statement warning of the likely manifestation of malnutrition amongst the general populace; this in turn has to led to calls from a number of the Ward Intendants to issue price controls and/or establish a rationing system [see page 102 for Outline of Proposition 35.5D)._

 _The wave of refugees has also highlighted the critically inadequate manpower of Citadel Security (C-Sec). As per the complaints lodged by Executor Chellick and the Security Protective League, the agency has found itself stretched to capacity dealing with an increase in civil disorder, the need to prevent unlawful entry from the myriad refugee ships, and the task of peace-keeping in the refugee processing centers. Enclosed are recommendations drafted by the Citadel Security's Office of Commissioners [page 104]…_

-Excerpt from the minutes of the Citadel's Emergency Review Board meeting

* * *

 **MEMORANDUM FOR** _: The Department of Colonial Affairs, Colonial Defense Administration; Arcturus Naval Command; the Office of Insular Affairs; the Department of Territorial Security & Stability, Review Board for Emergency Planning_

 **FROM** _: Office of the Governor (Elysium); Commission for Public Safety (Elysium)_

 **SUBJECT** _: Contingency Planning for an Enemy Attack on Arcturus/Earth_

 _Our appropriate agencies are making an input to the previous dispatch reflecting the Alliance Navy's desire to see our contingency plans for reaction should the hostiles reportedly heading towards the Arcturus Redoubt step up their activity within the next two weeks. In addition to participating for the preparation of the Alliance Navy's overall response, our Station has also forwarded a copy of its own local contingency plans reflecting how it will maintain civil order and deploy assistance in those circumstances as postulated in your intelligence reports._

 _A memorandum outlining the response and contingency plan of the Colonial Government of Elysium is attached hereto for your information._


	6. Les Enfants de la Patrie - I

_Elysium, 2186_

* * *

 **Subject: CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, & UNIVERSITIES**

 _In accordance with the contingency and transition-to-war measures adopted by the Colonial Government of Elysium, the following notifications of closure and termination of operations have been sent out to the appropriate governing bodies:_

 _1\. Memorandums have been dispatched to the Education Commission and the University of Elysium System, which directly administer or otherwise oversee all educational facilities on the colony, to cease services and the registration of new students effective immediately._

 _2\. Due to the possibility of civil disorder, especially where concerns the University's student body, respective law enforcement bodies have been commanded to implement preemptive measures..._

* * *

Situated at the easternmost edge of the campus where the terrain gradually began to give way to sloping hills, the building that housed the University's history faculty was largely considered an anachronism.

The four-story structure had been designed in the Mediterranean Revival school, a style that was thoroughly held to be 'old-fashioned'. However, the elegance of the building was evident in its features: its hipped, red-tiled roof, as well as its facade of beige-coloured brick, its two, enclosed, courtyards, and the tasteful employment of ornamentation at several of the entrances and windows. On two sides, it was surrounded by a series of terraced gardens, planted with a variety of small trees and flowering plants of the Earth-variety. From these same terraces, vines had crept up along the walls throughout the years, lending to the building an air of dignified age, though the building itself was a little over a decade old.

In front of the building was situated a small plaza, lined with verdant Elysian tree-analogues and benches; and in its center, a bronze sculpture titled _'The Colonists'_ , installed "to commemorate the efforts of the citizenry during the events of the Skyllian Blitz", although the funds for its creation had been donated by a generous contributor from Earth. Due to the sculpture's proximity to the history building, the surname of the donor had subsequently become attached to the building, such that it was popularly known among the student body as 'Belmore Hall', rather than by its dry, official name ('University Center for Historical Study and Archaeological Research').

It was at the sculpture that Shipley was glancing absentmindedly, his vision drawn to it by its subtle, marbleized blue hue, an effect created by the addition of reactive chemicals to the bronze. He sat on the steps leading up to the building's main entrance, left hand on his chin, while with his right, he turned over his cell-phone idly without actually looking at its display. He could occasionally hear shouting in the distance, though it was very faint; so faint, he realized it only reached him when the wind blew in his direction, carrying the sound.

And every time he heard it (or thought he heard it), there came a vague anxiety that clawed at some part inside of him.

 _God-damn, hurry up,_ he thought, his mind clouded by irritation, anger, born from what he realized bashfully was the very primal anxiety of being _alone._ Most students had vacated the campus when they'd gotten the news of the closure; either that, or they'd joined the protests in the main square of the University, a relatively far way off. The emptiness and silence of the campus affected him profoundly, in a way that embarrassed him; and when he thought about it, he realized he had not seen another student in almost a full twenty minutes. He had seen a handful of stragglers pass him by earlier, as he made his way to the relatively isolated Belmore; one of them had given him a perplexed look before turning forward again.

 _Hurry up_

He could feel his 'phone blowing up with notifications, but he had no desire to look, even as the vibrations came without end, causing him to shift the notification settings to ' _Silent'._ Making a concerted effort not to look at the device, he diverted his attention to his surroundings, hoping he would become so caught up in them that the time would pass rapidly. For a while, he amused himself by watching a couple of Elysian bird-analogues fluttering around the nimble branches of a small elm tree some feet away from him. They resembled sparrows in size and in their temperament, although their plumage was a bright shade of light orange.

They flitted around the branches, one of them attempting to mount a seemingly reluctant other while making a slow, high-pitched _ah-ah-aaah_ sound. The spectacle continued until the two flew off, still emitting their calls. He turned his attention to the terrace next to him, picking out a single, rumpled sheet of paper embedded among the roots and leaves and flowers.

He was admiring the terraced plants, watching the swaying of the foliage in the light breeze, when he heard the door behind him open.

His spirits lifted, and he turned his head 'round, only to have his expectations fall flat immediately: the person who had come out was not who he was waiting for. The person who emerged instead was a young-looking man in mismatched clothing ( _probably a freshman,_ he surmised) with his head downcast, with a rapid gait, a heavy book in one hand and a backpack covered in stickers strapped to his back. The freshman (he had decided he must be a freshman) passed him by without a word, making his way down the stairs rapidly.

It was then that his impatience took a hold of him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, louder than he had intended to.

The freshman stopped abruptly, and for a moment, it seemed that he would trip over and fall; however, he remained standing, one hand gripping the metal railing, looking back at him with a morose expression.

"What?" came his question, his tone tinged with impatience.

"You just came from _in there,"_ he blurted out lamely, motioning to the building behind him with a nod of his head. "'You see a turian? Blue and white markings?"

"Yeah, yeah," came the reply immediately. "There was a turian with white and blue marks. In Clayton's session – 'should be out soon, he just let out."

With that, he turned around, his backpack swinging with the weight of its contents, and he continued on his way, passing ' _The Colonists'_ and in the direction of the thoroughfare leading back towards the main campus.

Shipley gazed at his receding back, until he could no longer make his figure out. He returned to his mindfulness, when the door behind him opened once more. Two other students emerged, and passed him by; he recognized the two of them, both acquaintances with whom he shared some classes. However, they took no notice of him, and headed down the same direction as the freshman had.

The door opened a third time seconds later, and it was a female student that passed him by, her long, dirty-blond hair tossed around by the breeze. He recognized her as well, a double-major in her third year who for a peculiar reason was studying two subjects as disparate as Applied Mathematics and History with a concentration on asari history. Like the previous two, she gave no indication that she was acquainted with him; and like them, she made for the main campus.

When the door opened for a fourth time some five minutes later, he had his eyes closed, in an attempt to doze off. He heard the slow, measured gait of the person who had come out, and realized immediately who it was.

"Where you waiting for a long time?" came a deep, familiar, voice, with its distinctive _flanging._

"Yes, actually," he replied, purposely letting some of his annoyance show through. He stood up from his sitting position, shouldering his satchel, and turned to look at the blue-eyed turian who had just emerged. "Pretty damn long. 'Could've left ages ago."

"Apologies for that," said the turian, stepping forward and making an apologetic gesture. "The lecture ran a bit long, and I stayed behind to say my farewell to the professor."

"Well, no worries," he replied, and the two of them began to walk down the stairs, just as that sound of distant shouting reached his ears again.


End file.
